58%
overall rating:
Parking:
Maintenance:
Construction:
Noise:
Grounds:
Safety:
Office Staff:
In Rapid Decline
From: -Anonymous-Date posted: 3/19/2006
Years at this apartment: 2005-01-01 - 2006-01-01
4 responses
First, let me say that I agree with both the reviews of the tenants and the old management at Block.
Addressing the OLD staff at Block, they were incredibly professional and courteous and went way beyond what I would expect from management.
They were very helpful and I moved here(in large part)because of the way the OLD staff addressed my needs and took care of me when I toured the property.
The old staff was truly world class.
However, therein lies the problem.
About 6 months ago break-ins starting occurring REGULARLY (as you will read, about once a month).
On the 1st of March we all received notices that RAM (the old management) was out and Gables was in.
Not a good sign-property was about a year old and RAM presumably saw the writing on the paper-thin walls.
The apartments themselves (allow very noisy) are extremely nice and different from the cookie-cutter apartments around Atlanta (beautiful kitches, huge bathrooms, etc.).
However, the safety issues discussed on this site are unfortunately VERY REAL.
I am literally scared to come home from work to find my door kicked in.
The area is obviously in transition.
Which to be frank, equates to young white urban professionals moving in to a predominately and historically black area (gentrification, in other words).
Every complex has its share of problems, but the recent amount of illegal activity has me questioning my current lease, and has made my decision not to renew quite simple.
The complex consists of young, beautiful yuppies mixed with a hip-hop crowd.
A very strange mix, but diverse nonetheless.
However, any attempt to report suspicious activity (as requested by management) is thwarted by the mix of residents-frankly some of the resident here already "look suspicious"-no way of differentiating from tenant and burglar.
The break-ins themselves have seemingly ALL happened during work hours (around 10-4) and during the work week.
In addition, most break-ins occurred in the back units (Units 6,7,8 for those with the old RAM advertising folders or the units by the dog walking area for those without).
The answer seems simple enough.
Have higher security presence during M-F during the day, or simply install security systems in the apartments.
I am not familiar with Gables, so I do not know how they will react.
However, the letter we received after the most recent break-in does not bode well (we were informed not to walk around the apts at night and to get insurance).
I do know that people will not pay the amount of money they are charging to rent here, especially if the break-ins occur at the rate they have been.
Frankly, it feels as if these break-ins are an inside job.
They all occur around the same time, at around the same place and NEVER with a resident in the apartment-pretty coincidental.
I am SHOCKED that the condo owners have not taken a stand (complex has some condo units as well).
Hey, I rent here, I can leave when my lease is up (or earlier if I want).
The condo owner's property values are literally falling through the roof and I have yet to see any concern from them.
They need to make a stand if they want a return on their investment.
Like this area, the whole complex is in transition.
New owners, with new problems.
At this point, I cannot recommend this place until something is done about the crime.
Either they will fix it and continue to make money, or they will ignore the problem by hiring more "patrols" and people will move out and they can demand HALF the rent they are paying now.
It is up to Gables now, but do not live here without asking some SERIOUS questions about your safety, no price is worth risking that.
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User Responses |
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| From: onceagain1 | Date: 05/02/2006 |
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It appears that you are implying that whites moving into an area that has been historically Black equates to the break-ins occuring by Black residents. Why is it not a possiblity these crimes are being committed by your young white professionals. Hmmm..
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| From: responsequestion | Date: 05/05/2006 |
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I don't think the break-ins are being committed by black residents, I think they are being committed by the residents living around the apartment complex-most of which happen to be black. I could re-check the crime statistics, but I don't think many break-ins are committed by "young white professionals" (or young black professionals for that matter). Bottom line, no matter what your color-if you are living at Block, get a security system.
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| From: kendyluv | Date: 05/25/2006 |
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The few times the break-in notice letters included a description of people suspected, it was "young black males." They were seen loading stuff into a car around the time of the break-in, etc...
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| From: forarmed | Date: 09/19/2006 |
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I personally did not get the impression anyone was implying that the criminals were black, what was said that you could not differentiate the criminals from the law abiding tenants...
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